Radio: Great minds never depart forever: they TRAVEL.

Anyone who has known me for 14 days, sometimes for 14 minutes, knows I have worked in RADIO BROADCASTING since I was 18 years of age.

Honest, Abe, I truly know my limitations when it comes to what I do and don't know. I know more than most managers believe I do (I can make them think I'm the lowliest first-year intern/board op, even if I am the staff member with the most experience) largely because I am a student of the industry more than a mere "grunt" with a bit of experience.


I read trades, but that only gets you so far.


I am friends with broadcast engineers and read engineering trades, as well, but that's only a piece of the "Big Picture" (with props to Skip Pizzi of RADIO WORLD).


So, what's the smart thing to do these days? READ RADIO BLOGS. There are so many of them worth reading! I've even put links to some of them on the side column here. And, even though I don't always agree with the viewpoints of those "mentors" in the field, they are very telling. But - and this is important- if you don't read the comments from those who work in radio, or used to work in radio but keep in touch with their friends who are still employed in the industry, you're missing a key component. In fact, you'll often miss the telltale signs of what will happen months, even years down the road without realizing the signs had been there just waiting for you to pay attention.

For many years, there's been this groundswell all about the deregulation of broadcasting caused by the Telecommunications (cowardly) Act of 1996. Now, it's the industry lobbying groups who are being stubborn and simultaneously stupid. As the FCC considers something that is long overdue - RE-REGULATION - the NAB, local and state associations, and lobbyists are trying hard to stop this VITALLY IMPORTANT piece of the puzzle. It was the deregulation (and some prior moves before 1996) which aided non-radio-people "owners" in their quest for the "best bottom line performance ever in the history of broadcasting"...and subsequently led to operations which have gone FLAT, even BELLY-UP. Revenues are largely flat to down, with the exceptions being those broadcasting companies who didn't mortgage the future on the idea that cost-cutting would result in a better bottom line. It's not a manufacturing plant. It's not an overstaffed retail operation. It's an industry that relies upon several key components to work in tandem/cooperation with one another. And until the companies with "bottomlineitis" cease to exist, they will be the FIRST ONES to suffer the ill-fates.

But, please don't take my word for it. I've only been doing this for 23 years. I suggest reading John Rook: http://www.johnrook.com


or Jerry Del Colliano: http://insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com/

These men are two of the brightest to ever have programmed in radio. I'm sure that they're not the only ones to have seen things from a bigger perspective, but they are two of the more prominent names in radio. WELL-TRAVELED names - they're two men whose names have appeared on the pages of thousands of websites from all over. And they've lived the "radio wars of the old days". I trust their intuitions and read their columns/sites regularly.

I am going to suggest reading Jerry Del Colliano's column of December 19th: http://insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com/2007/12/fcc-unscrewing-pooch.html

This perspective is as fair and just as I have seen in the past several years. No sugar-coat. It's a take-no-prisoners attitude (hmmn...I'm apparently into great cliche writing today). Enjoy a bit of knowledge on a platter with that article.

Opinions may differ, like ways to prepare eggs. But, the COLDEST HARDEST FACTS seem to show up in the business section of the newspaper and magazine columns, showing what so many who posted on message-boards such as those on "Radio-Info.com" already told me years ago: Clear Channel, and the rest of those who pay the NAB to lobby for "bottom line" companies, are suffering the fates they deserve - failure at EVERY level, including the shareholder level.

Although the Mays (and many others) can buy and sell me 20 BILLION times over - I'll be laughing when they go to the bank and THEY find they no longer have the assets they believed they owned. Stockholders are already balking at the presidents of these major groups, and only a few changes have taken place, compared to what is to come. When the industry as a whole starts being OPERATED BY "REAL" RADIO PEOPLE again (and not someone who bought into the bottom line thinking), the listeners will be back (okay - maybe they won't ALL be back due to Ipod's and the internet feeds...but a large majority will realize that creative forces returned to many of the stations), and the revenues will be better than they've been in a long time. Then, the shareholders will have something for which to cheer.

Someone (a prospective employer) asked me the other day if I thought I'd leave radio. I explained to her that even though I've worked in radio since I was 18, I don't HAVE to do it forever. I just know that I have a passion for radio, have some talent that can be useful, and will keep my foot in the door of a station somewhere until my death.

I've told many people in my life that I'll never retire.

***Good radio people eventually die - but, they never (truly) retire.

***In memory of J.C. Hall

Pujols is NOT on the list

It's been an interesting afternoon in St. Louis. Being a baseball fan, I, like millions of others , awaited Sen. George Mitchell's report on steroid use in major league (& minor league) baseball.

As I was going through my morning routine, getting set to leave my residence for work, I took it upon myself to listen to KMOX Radio at 11:00 am, for CBS radio News and local news headlines. Being busy, I kept the radio on. Rush Limbaugh enters the airwaves. He immediately begins reciting names of players who, he alleged, were on the list that Senator Mitchell was to release three hours later. He cited the name Albert Pujols. Of course, most of the names he mentioned were in the Mitchell Report. However, King Albert has not been found in that report. I read an online .pdf file - twice. I see former Cardinals' Fernando Vina, David Bell, Jason Christiansen, Kent Mercker, Gary Bennett, Cody McKay, and Larry Bigbie, as well as lengthy references to Mark McGwire and (unindicted due to lack of evidence) current outfielder Rick Ankiel (remember the New York Times story out in time for the 2007 playoffs?...) --- but NO ALBERT PUJOLS.

It seems to me that numerous "officials" get called to the carpet for plagiarism. Should, perhaps, Rush Limbaugh be called out for his ON-AIR USE of materials which were likely posted online on this Thursday morning by a source OTHER than Limbaugh's staff? He went on national radio and didn't cite a source. Just blabbed about the list, the players, and pointed out Albert Pujols as being named in the report which was to come out later in the day.

What are YOUR thoughts on this?

In this instance, would YOU BELIEVE Limbaugh had "sources close to Mitchell" who had told - in confidence - this information? If that is the case, does Mitchell now know of a "leak" in his office? Or, did Rush Limbaugh's group of researchers simply decide an online posting or blog was a credible enough source...without proper attribution...and "GET IT WRONG"???

I may listen to Rush tomorrow to see IF he apologizes. It's possible - even for Rush Limbaugh (known past drug-abuser) - to apologize. Somehow, I think he won't apologize to Albert Pujols, or Johnny Damon (he went on about him, too), or even Sammy Sosa (not named in the report).

Not surprisingly, I have a position on what has been released (I've read - well, skimmed very thoroughly - it twice this afternoon): Senator Mitchell's report could have been more revealing. The investigation could have continued. It's interesting to note what was NOT said versus what HAS been revealed. If you're the senator, what would you recommend happen to the players, the players' association, the doctors and trainers and coaches and others who covered up players who abused and suppliers of the banned substances?

At this point, the names are out in the open. Or are they?

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THE TRAVEL-RELATED QUESTION:
So, will you travel to see a baseball game featuring Andy Pettite, Roger "Hall of Fame" Clemens (if he plays yet again), Gary Sheffield, "home run king" Barry Bonds (if he plays after all the Mr. Anderson was saying to the investigators about his use of the "clear" and the "cream"), even Gary Bennett in 2008?

Whether or not to discuss WEATHER

It's all around us. So often, we talk about it with our neighbors just to have something to say. It is the weather. And it will be a FREQUENT topic on this blog - let me put it out: I am a weather geek...I love reading about weather to the point where I could be compared to "foodies" - I sample weather sites as foodies do delicious and tantalizing dishes, appetizers, desserts, drinks, even ingredients. Foodies, by the way, deserve a blog of their own - look in my links for a fine food blog, Traveler's lunchbox...but please read it on a full stomach.

BACK TO WEATHER. I live in St. Louis, MO, USA - a GREAT place for weather geeks and meteorologists because we have four seasons (some would add "most years"), with winter, spring, summer and autumn/fall. What I've found helpful is the newer additions from NOAA's National Weather Service and their various related websites and organizations. For example, one of my favorite places during times of stormy weather - specifically THUNDERSTORMS - is NOAA's STORM PREDICTION CENTER, http://www.spc.noaa.gov/ which has helped me be the office keeper of the clouds. In my previous job as a reporter/editor and office manager at Metro Networks in St. Louis, I could look at two or three computers and watch storms cross Missouri on a known day where severe storms may develop. Everyone knew when it was an interesting weather day - I always warned people "...watch the skies today. We could have severe storms." THAT is certainly an example of how I am, personally, a weather geek. But I also regularly attend St. Louis County Police R.A.C.E.S. / SKYWARN Program weather spotter classes. This year, for the first time since I began attending several years ago, I did NOT become a Level 2 weather spotter. Well, that's okay - because the training is suggested every OTHER year...but I go yearly anyway. I'll give you an online link for information on that program: http://www.skywarnstlouis.com/ make sure to look for the CLASS training schedule posted regularly on a separate page off that website. Mike Redman, the coordinator for St. Louis County Police Emergency Management and the R.A.C.E.S. program and the coordinator for the classes, is thorough and helpful in the learning journey of many in the St. Louis area. There are many SKYWARN projects across the USA which help keep Emergency Managers aware of where severe thunderstorms and TORNADOS may be occurring - and it is vital that we keep training people to do weather spotting, especially in rural and suburban areas where there are fewer warning sirens and even modern DIGITAL DOPPLER RADAR is less likely to pick up actual tornados because the farther away from the RADAR site, the harder to identify the winds - it is a guessing quiz-like game that we humans can play with all our weather toys, but only GOD knows the answers. The national SKYWARN site is: http://www.skywarn.org/

Which of you needs to know about HURRICANE information? The National Hurrican Center is located online and has a great deal of information: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
I urge all readers who live in a hurricane prone zone to bookmark this site if they have never done so - it could save yourself quite a hassle.

Are you someone who has a bit of interest in seeing the RADAR somewhere in the continental 48 States? Here's the overview of the DOPPLAR RADAR sites and what they see: http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/

So many have been discussing the drought conditions across the US this year. The government has decided that an update to its websites was necessary, so they have given us the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and an interesting and interactive website: http://www.drought.gov/portal/server.pt

The California fires (Ed. note: my cousins in Escondido have been evacuated twice in the past four years due to fires - this year, the fire closest to their house stopped less than a 1/2 mile away and they were AGAIN spared the worst) were in the news again over the past few weeks, especially with the Santa Ana winds. Many use the National Fire Weather page as a tool: http://fire.boi.noaa.gov/

SOOOOO --- ARE YOU (too) A WEATHER GEEK??? Do you plan to help report precipitation because you purchased a full weather observation kit? Well, if this is one thing on your personal agenda, maybe you will enjoy: http://www.cocorahs.org/ The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) recruits volunteers across the country who monitor and report precipitation.

For my Canadien/Canadian friends, or travelers to Canada (NOT my "home and native land", but a beautiful country), here is the Weather - Environment Canada link: http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/canada_e.html

For those traveling south of the US border into Mexico, you'll want to use your Spanish language skills when browsing the site Servicio Meteorolocigo Nacional: http://smn.cna.gob.mx/
JUST A NOTE: I have no idea what it says, as I do not speak Spanish. It appears to me, a person of limited understanding of the Spanish language, to be a valuable weather site, but if you find out I am incorrect, PLEASE e-mail me and tell me!

I suppose the meaning, if there should be one, of today's blog is twofold: one, I must apologize for not blogging sooner as there have been a series of events which kept me from writing (read: publishing a started blog), which includes web browser problems at home. TWO, to give tidbits of information that may be used in traveling the USA and elsewhere in North America, as weather has a profound effect on your driving and flying trips year-round. Dare I end this blogpost without one of the most used sites for air travelers? Nah. I know you're already looking for links - here is the FAA site: http://www.fly.faa.gov/flyfaa/usmap.jsp

Also, this one is quite interesting: http://www.airportandtraveldelays.com/ and they have a good piece of legal advice: http://www.airportandtraveldelays.com/policy.html
Check out their road conditions page, click on a state to see what is going on where you are going - note, I already detected a link that was not working. If the link is good, you'll usually find a state-run website with information on the highway conditions in that state.

I'll borrow some of the language from their legal advice page (policy page).

Information given on this blog is for planning purposes only and is not a substitute for any watch, warning or advisory information from any federal, state or local entity. Read the privacy policies of other sites you visit. Be informed.

Proper Appreciation of a "Vandalia Leader": Gary Sosniecki

Wouldn't you like to find something interesting? Here, on this page? On another webpage somewhere? Inside a smalltown?

WELL...I'm not going to claim the most original thoughts. A few of my writings may be interesting, and many won't be all that original. But this isn't about me. This is (largely) about a man named Gary Sosniecki. He is a person with whom I am familiar, but have never met. Perhaps I will be able to remedy that sometime soon, after he goes into a "semi-retirement" mode following his departure as editor of the "Vandalia Leader", the town newspaper in Vandalia, Missouri. Before continuing, I'll point out that I have previously brought up - and on occasion will continue to bring up - this small town along U.S. Hwy 54 at the corners of Audrain/Pike/Ralls Counties in Northeast-central Missouri.

Gary Sosniecki and his wife Helen have been newspaper reporters and editors for virtually their entire adult lives. I did not know much about them until the past two years. Most of what I learned was through the award-winning editorial writings of Gary, printed online each week for the past few years at http://www.vandalialeader.com - some of his editorials told me more about what has been happening in Vandalia, MO, than if I had gone to town every week for the past two years --- something that "almost happened". The two of them have owned the publication for a few years and recently announced the sale of the newspaper to another group. There will be a new editor-reporter soon, and I sure wish him the best and hope he follows in the shoes of the Sosniecki's. I believe that Vandalia, Farber, and all of the surrounding communities will have been improved due to their common sense reporting, editing, and editorializing. And the latest, and his next-to-final, "Leader" editorial from Gary shows to me that an impact can be made just by speaking out. He wrote about the things that would make the town better. Not a harsh critique, but a gentle nudge to residents, officials, even people who no longer live or work there, to get things "fixed" or upon which improvements may be made. And although this blog/column is about Gary and Helen and their impact, I suppose it's time to put in my two cents, partially because of his call to discuss transportation issues which have a direct effect on Vandalia, MO, USA.

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Here's my perspective on something Gary has brought into focus: U.S. 54 and a four-lane highway in northeast-central Missouri going northeast from Mexico, MO:

A useful 4-lane route for traffic going northeast from Mexico, MO to U.S. 61 "toward Hannibal", even if not going TO Hannibal, should include Vandalia. In fact, taxpayers should demand this. I'm not speaking of taxpayers from Vandalia --- all taxpayers in Missouri and in the United States of America --- should vocalize their preference on this issue. If one seeks a "good" route to U.S. 61 from Mexico, MO, you'll see it exists: it is primarily along what is now the two-lane U.S. 54 which already goes through Vandalia. Although it may not be a perfect route to the view of many in Mexico, MO, it is - as I see it - the BEST POSSIBLE route for the price, largely due to the already existing right-of-way and the costs associated with building such a project. Indeed, there is already one project set to bid in 2009 which will spend at least $3-million on rehabilitating a nearly 8-mile stretch of U.S. 54 as it runs from MO 19 east to a point just west of Vandalia and another separate project set (bid in 2009) to improve U.S. 54 from east of Route 154 to Route U, a section of pavement five-and-a-half miles in length. That information serves as an agreement with my viewpoint. Does it match your view?
Certainly, I do not discount what many want - a route that connects Mexico to Hannibal. But, one can see that Missouri Route 19 already goes toward the Hannibal area - it lands along U.S. 61 at New London, MO. Sure, a four-lane highway may be preferable along that route should analysis show traffic volume demands MO 19 be widened. At this point, it is a revamped four-lane U.S. 54 that makes sense because of it's logical access as a southwest to northeast route to U.S. 61 and on INTO Illinois as an ALTERNATE route to Hwy 19/Hwy 154/U.S. 36/I-72 at Hannibal, especially should, heaven forbid, something happen to close that I-72/U.S. 36 bridge at Hannibal/East Hannibal. And let us not forget that there is a bridge across the Mississippi at U.S. 24 in Quincy, which already serves as a good northern alternate to the Hannibal bridge.
Please consider writing/calling/e-mailing MoDOT, Congressman Hulshof, Senators Bond and McCaskill, Governor Blunt, Lt. Governor Kinder, your state representatives, state senators, and local leaders to give them an idea of what you think.
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Surely, if I've learned one thing from reading editorial columnists - having a viewpoint can by handy, even if it is not popular.

Gary Sosniecki's column in the Vandalia Leader will be missed by many. If he hears of this blog post, I hope he heeds my request: please BLOG YOUR EDITORIAL. The world needs well written editorials. Your editorials are still going to be needed, even if you're not publishing a newspaper.

Good luck Gary and Helen Sosniecki as you continue your journey, whether concentrating on pressing family matters, to move on to run another publication or take a new set of jobs, or if simply to enjoy traveling this great world.
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Please discuss this and other posts from this blog in the "comments" section.
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Buzz Ullrich
editor of Morning Show Travel

What travels around, goes around

You will be impacted by the ups and downs of the travel industry. It is inevitable. Whether it's the economic downturn being predicted by some forecasters, or the obvious impact the babyboomers will have on the industry over the next 35 years (do you realize how many millions of people we're talking about...most of whom will take trips, cruises, vacations that last a month or more, etc.???).

The questions are numerous, including, "Do I want a piece of this trillion-dollar-plus industry?"

The market shift has already begun. Books have been written about it. Companies have been formed to capitalize on the ideas that all kinds of entreprenuers kick around in their heads. And the questions we all ask about the industry are going to have answers inside the next 3 to 4 years. Perhaps now is the time to discuss an issue that is clouding up the newest part of the industry: internet travel agencies.

First, for those who did not read my profile, I have been a reporter for more than 20 years. Over that period, I have been friends with or acquaintences with at least four "travel professionals" who worked in a building as travel agents. At times I would hear of them barely scraping by, and at other times they reported having been blessed with a thriving business.

I know it has been widely reported for several years that travel agencies are facing declining enrollments in the "brick and mortar" side of the business. Recently, a friend entered into the business and told me about the company he joined early in 2007. I had heard about it in passing, but did not know much about YTB Travel Network. He invited me to a "Red Carpet Day" presentation and said to me, "I think you'll like what you see, but if not, you aren't going to owe anybody anything. All you'd be out is a few hours of your day and you'll even get a free lunch out of it for listening to the spiel." When I went to the Gateway Center in Collinsville, Illinois, I got a quick first impression. Well, okay, a second impression. My first impression was through the website that my friend Jim Fassero (mentioned in my first blog entry for this column) had through YTB, http://www.ytb.com/traveltips365 (Jim's site for entering the business side of YTB as a RTA - Referring Travel Agent). I looked it over and wondered very cautiously if I was looking at something of a scam. Jim, if you were to know him - as I have - for 25 years, is a REAL SKEPTIC. I, especially after what I've seen as a reporter/editor, am even MORE of a skeptical nature. And something told me to look hard at this company, dig around, listen, ask questions of people inside the travel business, look at dozens of web postings and articles about YTB Travel. In other words, soundly and deeply view the company with an open mind, and not be hasty in making ANY decisions about it.

On my first occasion at a YTB Red Carpet Day, some things stood out. The Chairman or CEO of most companies do not tell you up front that they are all about marketing, while the staff that surrounds them is all about operating the company to the highest standards possible. Nor will you likely hear the words "integrity" thrown about in the audience before and after a set of managers talk about their business. I hadn't encountered this kind of culture in a "marketing" business. BUT - I found out that YTB is NO MERE MARKETING BUSINESS. It is a TRAVEL AGENCY, complete with training programs that help RTA's develop the TRAVEL BUSINESS side (selling airline tickets, cruises, etc.) and Reps learn about the marketing side of the company. MOST Chairmen and CEO's are not about to do something else: bring the words "faith" into their presentation, or allow the top company director to bring "God" up during his brief stage presence --- which wasn't the end of my viewing this on a slightly more elevated and spiritual level. In fact, when was the last time a nationally-recognized company had an "introducing our company to you" meeting which ended in the entire room holding hands in prayer? I don't recall hearing of that meeting or that company - not saying it hasn't happened, but it's not something widely reported unless it is a faith-based or God-based business. Certainly, you don't expect to see such a thing in a public venue with a "Marketing Company".

Let me just say that after all that --- a great number of people would be MORE skeptical than interested.

Me? I went back two more times, spent three more weeks looking into the business side of YTB Travel Network, and found myself blessed enough to [have saved up some money and been given a check from working with a non-profit group so that I could] buy my little corner of the market through YTB. It's all over the interent: ONE-POINT-THREE-TRILLION-DOLLARS in the USA is spent on travel yearly. IF I got only .005% of that, I would be able to stop writing columns forever, unless I really wanted to write (okay, I'll always want to write...you're correct).

Meanwhile - there are some falsehoods being released as facts by others on the internet. It isn't hard to spot the mistakes made by those who claim to know how YTB works when releasing their LIES and MISTATEMENTS within their so-called facts. They claim that buying into the company costs much more than it does. They claim that YTB is a "card mill", or a company that does business without meritorious training and certification. Investigate the company yourself, as I have done, and you'll find out it's not perfect - but it is well-done and you can learn the proper way to conduct yourself as a travel agent.

And because of a few industry people who don't like the market-shift or the companies who are taking advantage of such a change, others are bowing to pressures and trying to assault YTB. Well, at least one publication has made a statement regarding this kind of issue.

You can view a column in TRAVEL WEEKLY to see what they say. I'm not going to say it's painting a rosy picture of YTB Travel Network. But, it is NOT an attack. In fact, Arnie Weissmann, who wrote the article titled "YTB and political correctness" ends with a stream of thought that makes me glad that I decided to join YTB Travel Network as an RTA/Rep.

As I learn more about the industry, through classes at YTB University and other resources, I will share some of what I've learned. I am not YET a travel professional - but I will get there. And I hope some of you come to realize the importance of MARKETING in the travel business. If we do NOT market those vacation packages and deals, those airfare specials, all those CRUISES and hotels, trains, buses, car rentals, etc., we may as well pack in our business and let someone else get all the money. Are you willing to let the expedias and orbitzes and travelocitieses get all the pie at the expense of people who legitimately learn the craft? If so, take a good look at yourself and reassess your position in business - not just the travel business.

Special Note: I did not post the link to the article in TRAVEL WEEKLY, but you can subscribe or register with them at: http://www.travelweekly.com/ - and search for articles related to YTB or any other company or news item. They have a ton of great industry information. And they have copyrights - so I didn't want to violate their copyright by printing verbatim information out of the aforementioned article.

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(Now, the shameless plug: my sites are listed in the links...marketing or simple booking - look them over and see if you want to join the YTB Travel Network or buy travel through my booking site, which is morningshowtravel dot net)

Thanks for reading!

Buzz, Editor - "Morning Show Travel"

[Available for morning shows soon. Contact me for additional information.]

Book: The Coming Economic Collapse

"The Coming Economic Collapse" is the title of the book by Dr. Stephen Leeb. It deals with the price of oil and what it means to the worldwide economy.

Is Dr. Stephen Leeb on the right track? If so, what will that mean to Americans who like to travel? Could his predictions of $200 a barrel oil be on target and cause an economic collapse in our modern world?

I found this interesting piece on Dr. Leeb's belief and assertion: It's from a Big Picture edition of Total Picture Radio - online, the address for this interview is: http://www.totalpicture.com/content/view/378/190/

There are no two things about it. If and when you listen to this man, you'll want to consider saving up for a trip --- to the supermarket and back. $4.00/gallon gasoline could seem inexpensive by 2010.

According to Dr. Leeb, the demand of oil from the middle east oil producers is growing at about 300,000 barrels per day - due to, in large part, the increase of demand from China, India, and other "developing" countries which currently use about one-third per person of the amount which those of us in most developed countries use.

We in North America take for granted the cost of simple goods and services which hinge on the price of gasoline, diesel fuel, and other petroleum-based products. The price of most goods would rise at incredible rates (both quickly and "way up there") should the price of diesel fuel increase in the same way the price for "regular, mid-grade, and premium" gasoline/petrol is expected to rise. And we know the price for diesel WILL rise along with everything else. I can already hear the "DOH" from Homer Simpson.

Again...if you want to hear Dr. Leeb, listen to Peter Clayton's interview: http://www.totalpicture.com/content/view/378/190/

(this is the same link used above)

PAY ATTENTION CLOSELY TO THE DATE ON THIS INTERVIEW --- IN JULY.

He was discussing $80/barrel prices by the end of this year, in July.

Um --- it was trading at $90 the other day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Good luck, world!

What do you know this week?

There are many resources available to the travel professional online, with numerous travel organizations that aid the travel industry. I'll point to one that I've been reading lately> http://www.tia.org/ --- the Travel Industry Association. They have an upcoming event in Charlotte, NC, which runs October 22 through 25th, called TIA's Marketing Outlook Forum 2007. Since I am a newcomer in the industry, I'm sure it would benefit me to go. That having been said, I would have needed to rearrange my schedule weeks ago in order to do so. But, that shouldn't stop YOU (if you're a travel agent or other travel marketing professional) from signing up and learning more. I will grant that you'd better want to spend your money to: 1) go there in the first place (although it's probably a tax-deductible trip); 2) go to the individual workshops - some may cost you $75 or more.

If you'd like information about this, here's a link: http://www.tia.org/industrymeet/mof/index.html

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Blog items for non-travel-agents:

Does YOUR airport have a BIG ENOUGH RUNWAY for the latest super-sized jets?

The Airbus A380 handles around 525 passengers. The company says it's A380 is cleaner and greener and quieter with its new engines and cabin design. Want to see/hear their :60 second online presentation? Go here: http://www.a380delivery.com/ and view the little box.

What is next?
A train that goes the speed of sound? A bus tour to the women's prison facility [Women's Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center] in Vandalia, MO, USA?
I guess we'll see soon.

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Did I mention yet that "my website" is up and running? Well, okay, there are two of them!

YOU can book travel through my website: http://www.morningshowtravel.net

Become an online travel agent through my other site: http://www.ytb.com/morningshowtravel

When we start out...

...we probably ask ourselves "what is our destination?" first. YES, it is about the destination. And yet you'd better not forget how you're going to GET THERE...and how much will it cost? I'll do my homework and keep looking for great tips for getting there, making it cost-efficient, and I SURE HOPE I make it fun & interesting! Leisure travel can truly reduce your stress level!!!

Thanks to Jim Fassero for reintroducing the idea of getting into the online travel business, and to my wonderful friends Kathy and Helga both whom have worked or continue to work in the travel business and had put the initial thoughts in my head through the years. At some point, I'll tell you more about each of these people, and - my aim is to help you find something you can "take to heart".

By the way --- I've spent my adult life as a professional broadcaster, and am a musician-singer and/or "entertainer". I'm sure this will be touched upon frequently as I blog.

You'll see some of my favorite bloggers are discussing the broadcasting industry or other forms of entertainment. I encourage visiting the linked blog sites as a way to gain knowledge or insight - as I enjoy reading "high brow" writers within their fields. You'll see some of my favorite bloggers also are discussing religion, generally about Christianity...in many of those sites, you'll see faith-based or theological posts and discussions. Keep an open eye to these topics and discussions as you can learn a lot just from reading the blogs of theologians - since they don't just talk about theology in a blog.